


Revealations

by AshFreesky



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-07-13
Packaged: 2018-10-10 10:05:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10435293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshFreesky/pseuds/AshFreesky
Summary: It’s been a year since Ladybug and Chat Noir started saving Paris. Marinette is still smitten with Adrien, and Adrien with Ladybug. Adrien however can’t help but notice the cute bluenette behind him, and soon becomes conflicted with indecision.





	1. In Which Adrien Goofs Up

**Author's Note:**

> I do apologize now if it's a tad rushed, but I hope you enjoy none the less.

 

            Marinette sat up in bed and groaned. The akuma attack from last night had left her drained and sore. She had to use two Lucky Charms before she and Chat beat it. ‘Speaking of Chat… I wonder how he is. He got tossed around quite a bit.’ Mari thought, stretching. Her muscles pulled and she swore she felt them whine in protest. The bluenette blinked slowly, wishing she could sleep for a few more hours. She was seriously contemplating it, but before she could, a small red blur whizzed in front of her nose.

            “I know that look, Marinette. You can’t go back to sleep.” Tikki said, narrowing her eyes a little bit. The red kwami wasn’t angry with her chosen, but she wanted Mari to know how serious she was. The girl in question sighed and got out of bed, yawning and stretching. As much as she wanted to sleep, Marinette knew better than to annoy Tikki. The kwami may have been small, but she also packed a nasty pinch and a hard slap. Mari had experienced both; the pinch on Valentine’s Day when she told Tikki to, and the slap when she was in hysterics. Tikki of course had apologized, but it was needed at the time. It had brought the girl around for the kwami to talk sense into her. She didn’t really like using violence, especially not against her chosen.

            “You’re right Tikki, I really shouldn’t go back to sleep.” Mari replied, getting dressed for the day. Tikki’s demeanor changed instantly, her face breaking into a wide smile. She could never stay mad at Marinette for long. The girl’s optimism and joyful nature made Tikki glow with pride. It wasn’t often people were so naturally happy; Chloé was a good point of that. There were many times she wanted to smack the blond for being rude to Marinette, but she held back. It wouldn’t do much good in the long run. A giggle escaped her, causing the bluenette to give a questioning look. Tikki smiled at the girl.

            “I’m just wondering how much trouble Plagg is giving…” Tikki caught herself just in time. She cleared her tiny throat and continued. “How much trouble Plagg is giving his chosen. He can be quite snide and difficult you know.” Tikki finished, smiling wide. Mari’s brows furrowed into a frown, despite the kwami’s cheerful words. She had caught the slip.

            “You know who Chat Noir is, don’t you Tikki?” Mari asked as her arms folded across her chest, one hip cocked to the side. Tikki tapped her paws against each other, suddenly embarrassed to have been found out. Before she could gift a reply, a voice sounded from below.

            “You’re going to be late, Marinette!” Sabine called up. She shook her head slightly, wondering how her daughter ever made it to school in time. Marinette however glowered at the bashful kwami before grabbing her backpack and purse, holding the latter open for Tikki. The tiny creature zoomed into the purse as the bluenette darted down the stairs. She grabbed a croissant and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek, before dashing down the stairs and out of the bakery.

            Alya smiled, watching as her best friend came careening around the corner. Her eyes widened as Adrien stepped out of his limo. He waved to Alya, but didn’t notice the speeding bullet that was Marinette. Unlucky for the afore mentioned, she didn’t notice the blonde either. Mari slammed into Adrien, knocking them to the ground in a tangle of limbs. Alya was shocked before quickly pulling out her phone and snapping a picture. She’d tease Mari about it later.

            “Mari, are you alright?” Adrien asked as he helped the girl to her feet. He blushed a little, rubbing the back of his neck as she dusted herself off. His heart stopped for a moment, their eyes locking as she glanced up. They looked into each other’s eyes, the same way as when he gave her his umbrella. Adrien had always seen her blue eyes. But now, he noticed just how blue they really were. Much like Ladybug’s they were. They stared into each other’s eyes for a full minute before Alya coughed, breaking the trance. The two teens jumped apart, blushing fiercely. Alya shook her head and sighed. How these two are so blind was beyond her. She honestly wanted to tell Adrien about Mari’s crush on him, but she knew it would betray the bluenette’s trust. Marinette’s anger was a scary thing indeed and Alya had no desire to see it visited on her. The dilemma though was that Mari herself was too chicken to say anything to Adrien.

            “Come on you two. Class will start soon. Don’t wanna be late.” She said, grinning. “Unless of course you two would like a room together.”

            Marinette’s eyes turned into saucers as Adrien’s blush worsened. The pair quickly followed the laughing Alya into the building. Nino looked up as the trio walked into the class room. He gave a fist bump to Adrien as the blonde took his seat. Marinette, he had noticed, was a little more red than usual. He glanced at Adrien and noticed he too was a bit red. The DJ’s gaze flicked up to his girlfriend, who grinned. Unfortunately, Mme. Bustier walked in, signaling the start of class.

            Try as he might, and try he did, Adrien couldn’t focus on the lesson. Bluebell eyes and midnight blue hair kept his attention. For once it wasn’t Ladybug he was thinking of. No, this time it was the shy girl behind him. He could hear her pencil scratching gently against her notebook as she took notes. He would have bet money that if he turned around, the tip of her tongue would be sticking out. When the teacher’s back was turned, Adrien stole a quick look behind him. Sure enough, there her tongue was, sticking just a bit out of her mouth in concentration.

            “Mr. Agreste, would you repeat what I just told the class?” Mme. Bustier asked a moment later. Thankfully, Adrien had turned to the front before she had turned around. The model blushed and shook his head, indicating he couldn’t. The teacher gently chastised him for letting his mind wander, but in the end it was all fine. Adrien took the chastisement in silence and focused on the lesson, but Marinette was still there in the back of his mind.

            The morning classes passed without incident. Chloé wasn’t at school that day, so most of the students were at ease, with tensions low. Nothing aside from the usual squabbles and friendly bickering. Lunch however, that was a little more energized. Adrien sat with his back against a tree, lazing in the shade with his eyes closed. One eye cracked open as he heard voices. He locked in immediately; slightly surprised to hear one was Marinette. He concentrated, trying to catch the hushed tones.

            “Girl, he’s totally into you! The way he looked at you this morning totally proves that.” Alya hissed, but her tone wasn’t angry or upset. Rather, it was the opposite.

            “Him, being into me? No way. There’s no way he could be interested. Not in me, at least.” Marinette shot back just as quietly. That’s when Nino showed up. He sat next to Alya and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

            “So what are you two dudes talking about?” Nino asked in standard Nino fashion, arms on the park table top. Adrien, who gave no indication he was listening, perked up again. He was enjoying the conversation. Truth be told, he wasn’t sure if he was into Marinette or not. He was in love with Ladybug, both as Chat Noir and Adrien Agreste. He wasn’t sure how she felt about him, but he knew full well how she felt about Chat, thanks to personal experience. Could he be into Mari? It was a distinct possibility, if she wasn’t so odd around him. Why was she that way?

            “We were just talking about how Adrien is totally into Marinette.” Alya said with a grin. The girl in question crossed her arms with a huff. Nino chuckled at the bluenette.

            “Alya’s right. He’s totally into you. It isn’t that hard to tell.” Nino said. He saw more than most people gave him credit for. “Besides,” the boy continued. “It works out since you’ve got a massive crush on him too.” Nino finished. Marinette glared at him, before leveling her gaze at Alya. The redhead put her hands up.

            “I didn’t tell him, I swear. You know I’d never do that.” Alya said, her tone calm. Nino decided it would be wise to step in.

            “I figured it out on my own. Like I said, it’s not that hard to tell.” The boy said reassuringly. He patted Mari on the shoulder gently. Adrien had remained silent through the entire exchange, appearing to the world as though asleep. His thoughts were reeling however.

            ‘Marinette has a crush on me? But that doesn’t make sense. She’s always stuttering and awkward…. Oh. Nino’s right. Now that I hear it, it is obvious. Not sure how I didn’t see it before. I really am oblivious… Of course, she doesn’t know I know. I just hope Chloé doesn’t find out. That would be a _cat_ astrophe….’ Adrien smiled to himself at the pun, but let it quickly slide. He still wanted to appear asleep.

            “So....You really think he’s into me?” Marinette asked again. While she wanted to dare to hope it was true, part of her mind said it was just a joke. And Marinette being Marinette was leaning towards that line of thinking. Alya pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed at her friend.

            “Girl, trust me. Trust Alya.” The girl said, voice taking a motherly tone. Mari looked up at Alya and Nino. They were both smiling at her. The blue haired Parisian smiled back at them. Her blue eyes flicked over to Adrien, to see if he was indeed sleeping. He was, so she let him be.

            “If it helps, I’ll talk to my bro for ya.” Nino said, smirking. It wasn’t just Alya who wanted to see Marinette with Adrien. Nino had his own reasons for wanting his bro to be with Mari. Were they a little selfish? Yes they were. But they were for a good cause. Marinette gave a small, shy smile.

            “Thanks you guys.” Mari said honestly. She really did appreciate their help, even if she didn’t always show it or act like it. Alya grinned and reached over, patting Mari on the head. The bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch hour. Nino looked over and gently tossed a wad of paper against Adrien’s face. The blonde model jerked awake, narrowing his eyes at his buddy.

            “There are nicer ways to wake someone up from a glamour nap.” Adrien grumbled, standing and stretching. His shirt rode up slightly, exposing a narrow strip of muscled abs. Marinette stared, blushing as Adrien groaned seductively at the peak of his stretch. Alya smirked at the staring bluenette, about to say something. Unfortunately, Adrien beat her to the punch as he noticed Mari staring.

            “Like the view, Princess?” Adrien asked with a smirk. Then his eyes widened as his words sunk into his head. His face flushed red, his mistake now seared into his brain. “I, uh, I’m so sorry. I, uhm, not sure why I said that.” He stammered, trying to cover. Mercifully, his limo pulled up to whisk him away towards a photoshoot. Alya looked at Marinette, shocked.

            “D-Did Adrien just call you ‘Princess?’” The words left Alya’s lips and smashed into Marinette like a wrecking ball. The girl in question was speechless. She wracked her brain, but only one other person she knew called her that name. And only one person she knew was that flirtatious. She gasped softly, her hand fluttering to her mouth as realization hit like lightning.

            “Chat…. He’s Chat….” The stunned girl whispered, only loud enough for her to hear.


	2. In Which Ladybug Decides To Talk

Marinette sat in her room, on her bed with a pillow on her lap. She was rocking back and forth gently, not quite sure of how to feel. The rest of the school day had gone as smoothly as possible. But Marinette’s head was spinning. Her thoughts were all over the place. Tikki floated up close by, watching her chosen with gentle eyes.

            “Mari? Are you okay?” The kwami asked, eyes filled with concern for the girl. If there was one thing Tikki understood, it was the shock of realizing the identity of a partner. Mari took a deep breath and screamed into the pillow. After a moment, she pulled away and took another breath, this time letting it out slow and steady.

            “He’s Chat Noir. Adrien is Chat Noir. Chat Noir is Adrien.” The bluenette said to Tikki, trying to get her thoughts in order. And for some ungodly reason, one thought stood out in particular. “OH MY GOD!! I KISSED ADRIEN!!!” Marinette exclaimed loudly. Tikki tilted her head in gentle confusion.

            “What do you mean?” Then it dawned on the tiny god. Tikki’s first reaction was to cover her mouth with her tiny paws, then she started laughing. For such a tiny creature, the sound that came out was loud, and rather pleasant on the ears.

            “Tikki! It’s not funny!” Mari pouted. She knew the kwami didn’t mean it in a bad way, but it was still embarrassing to the girl. She had just found out and trying to come to grips with the fact that her crush, that Adrien-freaking-Agreste was her partner, her kitty, her Chat Noir.

            “I know, I’m sorry Mari.” Tikki said gently, flitting over and patting her charge’s cheek. Being as old as she was, Tikki knew it would take time. But for now, the most important job the small creature had was to keep her Chosen as calm as possible.

            “How am I going to face him tomorrow? He’s Chat! He’s flirted with me shamelessly, both as me and as Ladybug! How am I supposed to take that? I’ve pushed Chat away for the past year because I was in love with Adrien, and yet here it is, I was waving away his declarations of love for me cause I was crushing on him! Albeit, it was his civilian form, but still!” Mari whined. Her heart was racing just as fast as her brain. She didn’t notice it, but she was starting to hyperventilate. Tikki sighed and gently grabbed Mari’s nose. The contact made Marinette blink, focusing on her kwami.

            “Marinette Dupain-Cheng. It. Will. Be. Fine.” Tikki said sternly. It was in times like these that Tikki had to get a little forceful. “Take a deep breath, and breathe it out slowly. He is still Adrien Agreste, and he is still Chat Noir. You are still Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and you are still Ladybug. Nothing has changed. You two are still the heroes of Paris. And more importantly, you two are still partners.” Tikki said calmly. She was staring into Mari’s eyes. She needed this message to get through to the girl. Slowly, Mari’s breathing became more regular, more even. Mari swallowed and nodded, smiling.

            “You’re right Tikki. Nothing’s changed. Well, one thing will. I never stuttered or stammered around Chat. And now that I know Adrien is Chat, why should I be stuttering? He’s the same person I’ve fought side by side with for the past year. We’ve saved each other’s butts more times than we can count.” Marinette said, her breathing normal and steady. If anything, she seemed more calm than most people. Tikki smiled wide, heart ready to burst with pride. She had known many Ladybugs, and none were more adaptable, or more mature for such a young age than Marinette.

            “That, that is a good idea Mari.” Tikki grinned, bouncing gently on her Chosen’s leg. Mari sighed and flopped back onto her bed. It had been a long day, and at the moment, her mind couldn’t really process anything other than the fact Adrien was Chat. Tikki, knowing her charge, flew up and sat gently on Mari’s forehead. “You should go to sleep, Mari.” Tikki commented. Marinette nodded and smiled.

            “A wise idea from a wise entity.” Mari gently scooped Tikki up and placed a soft kiss on the kwami’s head. Tikki giggled and patted Mari’s nose. The bluenette slithered under her blankets and quickly fell asleep. The red kwami smiled, looking down at her Chosen. If Tikki had to choose a favourite Ladybug, Marinette would be it. Tikki snuggled down next to Mari’s neck and curled up, snoring softly.

            Plagg was having the night of his life. Not only was he enjoying a particularly gooey piece of camembert, he was also teasing Adrien mercilessly about his tongue slip at lunch. Adrien on the other hand was in pain. He was flopped on his bed, his face under a pillow. He wanted to do nothing but crawl in a hole and die.

            “How could I say that, Plagg? How! I’m usually so careful to keep it under wraps!!” Adrien slammed the pillow against his face again and groaned. “I am such an idiot!” Plagg cackled, devouring the last bit of cheese. The black smudge flicked his tiny tail, ears flat back as his humor echoed around the room.

            “You should have seen your face, kid!! Oh man, that was freaking priceless! Your face was as red as Ladybug’s suit!” The green eyed kwami zipped across the room and landed on Adrien’s stomach.  “Kid, you’d better hope she’s oblivious! Otherwise, you are so screwed.”

            “That’s the thing! She’s really smart. Oh no, I’m so done for…. I’m dead. I’m so dead. God, I bet she won’t even look at me tomorrow….” Adrien whined. Plagg however, he wasn’t done by a long shot.

            “You called her Princess!” Plagg was wheezing with laughter, holding his tiny stomach. The kwami wiped his eyes with a tiny paw, clearing any tears he had.

            “Oh go stuff yourself….” Adrien grumbled. The poor boy curled up under his blankets. He decided sleep was the best option, as it kept him from hearing Plagg’s teasing. Despite his efforts, Plagg still managed to sneak one more word in.

            “Heh, torn between your Lady and Marinette huh? This’ll be good.” Plagg cackled before curling up beside Adrien. The boy in question merely groaned and rolled over, away from the kwami. Soft snoring indicated that both tiny god and boy had fallen asleep soon after.

 

            The next evening, Ladybug and Chat sat on a roof overlooking Paris, their legs dangling. They were on patrol and mercifully hadn’t run into anything, so they had plenty of time to chat. Ladybug leaned back, bracing herself on her elbows and looking over at her partner. She knew something was up, for he was unusually quiet. He hadn’t even cracked a single pun, which worried her.

            “Minou, are you okay?” She asked the blonde. Chat looked over and nodded, keeping silent. If the lack of puns didn’t worry her, this definitely did. She kept her eyes trained on Chat as he looked out over Paris, tail twitching slightly. That was the only sign of movement the hero gave. Ladybug sighed gently, her thoughts going back to the school day. She had treated Adrien very differently,  at least as Marinette, and Ladybug wondered if it affected Chat as well. The only reason she could think that was because she had found out Chat’s civilian identity. But Chat didn’t know she knew, right?

            “Look….its’s not your fault. The only fault I hold is that it’s my fault…” Chat said depressingly. Ladybug looked up, curious. She stayed silent though, so Chat could continue.  “I should have been more careful….” Chat whispered. He looked absolutely dreadful. His ears were drooped, no energy in his tail. Ladybug sat up and put a gentle hand on her partner’s shoulder. Her eyes narrowed slightly as he flinched marginally.

            “Chat…? You can tell me what’s wrong.” Ladybug said gently. Chat looked over, concern in his eyes. Ladybug’s heart broke at look. It was full of hurt, and regret. Ladybug wrapped her arm over his shoulders and pulled him into her chest, gently sliding her gloved finger into his golden hair. Chat sniffled slightly, clinging to Ladybug tightly.

            “I-I screwed up. I messed up, Bugaboo.” Chat whispered. This was it. He could feel it. His Lady was going to be furious, and probably not want him as a partner. He was always so careful, but now? Now a civilian knew who he was. At least he thought they did.

            “Come on, Minou. What was it?” Ladybug asked. She had a feeling she knew what it was. Ladybug, rather _Marinette_ , had figured out that Adrien was Chat Noir. How Mari hadn’t noticed it before was beyond her. Once she knew, the resemblance was so obvious. She knew Alya was concerned, as the bluenette hadn’t stumbled around the model once today. She treated him more like Chat than she did Adrien.

            “P-Please don’t be mad at me…. Please don’t…. I don’t wanna lose you….” Chat pleaded. He hadn’t even said what was wrong, but still he begged. He looked up at his partner with pleading and hurt green eyes, as though the held back a dam. Ladybug nodded and Chat hugged her even tighter. “I-I accidentally revealed my identity to a civilian….” Chat whispered brokenly.

            Ladybug looked at him, gently stroking his hair. She kept silent, wondering how to go about this. She knew she couldn’t just up and say she knew. That would give it all away. No, there had to be a way to do this. Then she had it. “Do you trust this civilian?” Ladybug asked. Chat looked up, a tiny glimmer of hope in his eyes.

            “Y-Yes, I do. She helped me with the Evillustrator, while you were away on a mission.” Chat said quietly, trying not to get his hopes up. He knew he wasn’t out of the clear yet, as Ladybug still hadn’t finished. Or gotten mad about it yet.

            “Good. I trust her too. If it helps, she told me what happened.” The girl told her partner, gently holding his shoulder. “She also swore she’d never tell anyone about it. Well, never tell anyone who your identity is. I’m the only person she told she knew about it. But who you are, she kept silent. I guess she thought it would be good if I knew that you slipped up.” Chat looked down at this, ears dropping low again. He flinched slightly, waiting for the inevitable end.

            “So… that’s it, isn’t it? You’re just gonna find a new partner, aren’t you? Knowing I messed up… that I’m useless…. I can’t even keep my identity a secret…” Chat said brokenly. His voice was full of hurt and regret. In that moment, he wasn’t Chat Noir. No, he was Adrien. The _real_ Adrien, the one that sat in his room and talked with his small companion. The Adrien that didn’t have to constantly wear a mask, the one that had other feelings. The Adrien that only he and Plagg knew.

            “Chat, I-I” Ladybug started, but Chat cut her off.

            “It’s better if you know now.... since it’s no longer a secret….” Chat cut in. His heart felt so heavy, so empty. He sighed deeply and closed his eyes. “Plagg…. Claws out, buddy.” He whispered softly. A flash of brilliant green split the night and Adrien sat next to his partner. The poor boy left his head down, looking at the ground. Silence took hold as he waited for the spotted girl next to him to react, or say something. Anything to end this pain.

            Ladybug smiled gently, reaching out to her partner. Her brows furrowed some when he flinched as her hand touched his shoulder. The heroine knew she had to say something. She sighed softly, and braced herself. Adrien however beat her to the punch.

            “Y-You’re disappointed, aren’t you? It’s okay if you are…. I-I understand.” Adrien commented. He didn’t even look over at his partner, too ashamed to do so. He was about to get up to leave when a voice stopped him.

            “Look at me, chaton.” Ladybug said gently. She kept her hand on his shoulder, gentle yet firm. She _would not_ let this end on this note. She refused. Adrien didn’t move. He was too tired. “Look at me, _Adrien._ ” Adrien slowly turned, the emphasis put into his name, _his name_ , causing the reaction. Ladybug was watching him, her eyes filled neither with anger or disappointment. This caused Adrien’s heart to flutter slightly. This was not the reaction he was expecting from his partner. It was the exact opposite.

            “Ladybug… please. I didn’t mean to.” Adrien said, his voice slightly returning. His partner smiled and nodded.

            “I know you didn’t. You made a mistake, and thankfully, it wasn’t a bad one. And, while I didn’t really want it to happen this way, I think it’s safe to share our identities.” She ducked her head shyly, heart beating a tad faster. Adrien on the other hand was shocked. Not only was his partner not mad at his mistake, she was offering to share her identity.

            “Ladybug, no it’s okay. You don’t have to. If we can keep o” Ladybug’s gloved hand came up and gently covered Adrien’s mouth. She shook her head at him.

            “No, it’s better this way.” Adrien nodded as Ladybug took her hand away. The heroine took a deep breath and spoke clearly. “Tikki, spots off.” In a bright flash of red light, Ladybug vanished and in her place sat Marinette. Adrien’s eyes got huge as Marinette blushed.  “Surprise?”


	3. In Which All Is Okay

Chapter 3: In Which All Is Okay

 

            Adrien was speechless. He stared at the blue haired girl in front of himself, as she fiddled with her fingers. He could only stare, because his brain was in a) hyperdrive and b) short circuiting, at the same time. However, judging from the fact Mari was starting to tear up, he knew he had to say something, and fast. The blond smiled reassuringly and quickly took her hands.

            “Hey, hey don’t cry. It’s alright, I promise.” Mari looked up at her partner, tears wetting the corners of her eyes. A pair of brilliant green eyes, so familiar now that she knew them, stared deep into her bluebells. A smile spread across Adrien’s face, the same smile he gave her when they stood in the rain, the second day of school.  And it was then that Marinette knew, everything was going to be okay. While they were speaking, neither of them noticed the rain clouds forming overhead. A thunderclap shook the sky, causing both of them to jump slightly.

            “I, uh.. like the first time we actually spoke. With the umbrella, about a year ago.” Mari said with a giggle, as a light rain came down on them. Adrien looked up, rain pelting his face as he smiled wider. What he didn’t expect though was Marinette scooting closer, pressing up against his side. He stiffened slightly, despite knowing that clumsy, friendly and adorable Marinette, who he’d been taking a liking too was also the brave, selfless and ‘if I’m being honestly here’ Adrien thought to himself, slightly scary lady he’d been fighting side by side with for the past year.

            “So, you’re not disappointed it’s me?” He asked a few minutes later, after some silence. Mari was quiet, listening to the sound of the rain and soft thunder that echoed out every now and then. She hummed slightly, giving vent to a soft sigh before speaking.

            “I am disappointed, but not that it’s you. I mean, I’ve had a crush on you for a whole year, so no of course I wouldn’t be disappointed it’s you, after all you’re gorgeous and kind and funny, and caring and….” She covered her mouth when she realized she had started rambling. This only seemed to amuse Adrien, however. He turned to look at her slightly and gave a huge grin.

            “You’ve had a crush on me for that long, M’Lady? Well golly, I’m flattered.” Mari looked up sharply and saw Chat in Adrien’s eyes and grin. She rolled her eyes, but never left his side. Instead, she took one of his hands and gently played with his fingers.

            “As if you didn’t do the same with Ladybug. I’m sure you’ve got a whole shrine dedicated to Ladybug, full of Ladybug merch.” Mari grinned, before her face became serious. “But I guess the real question is, are you disappointed I’m Ladybug?” Her voice quaked and cracked slightly as her old fears came back into play. Adrien spun his head around, cupping Mari’s cheeks.

            “What? No! Of course not! How could I be?” He held her gaze, wanting to hear her answer. It wasn’t long in coming.

            “Because I’m clumsy, and I mess up, and I couldn’t even speak to you properly for a year! I’m just plain old Marinette. Did you know, that when we first fought Stoneheart, I was scared! I didn’t think I was good enough to be Ladybug!”  The bluenette exclaimed, shaking a little. Adrien quickly wrapped his arms around her, but ensured he was looking right into her eyes.

            “Now you listen here, buginette. Yes, you are clumsy. Especially around me, and now that I know why, it’s downright adorable. But, you are also brave, selfless, confident and courageous. I don’t think you would have been chosen if you didn’t have those qualities.” Adrien smiled, a reassuring and relaxing smile. Mari was about to speak, but a different voice cut her off.

            “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell her from the beginning! And while she’s gotten much better about it, she’s still unsure!” Tikki flew out of Mari’s purse and settled on Adrien’s knee. “It’s good to finally meet you, Adrien. Well, officially meet you.” The small kwami beamed, large blue eyes shining up at Adrien. Adrien grinned hugely, gently scooping her into his hands.

            “You must be Tikki. Plagg’s talked all about you, and all the time. When he wasn’t talking about Camembert that is.” Adrien grinned, patting Tikki’s head. The kwami hummed quietly in pleasure at the contact. Her antenna twitched when she felt Plagg settle next to her. It didn’t last long though.

            “OH MY GOD!! YOU’RE SO CUTE!!!” Mari squealed, grabbing Plagg in her hands. She began fawning over him, petting his head. Plagg’s eyes shot wide at the sudden grabbing, but soon began to purr. When Mari’s finger’s touched under Plagg’s chin, he melted. The tiny black cat curled up in Mari’s hand, purring like an engine. “You must be Plagg. You are absolutely adorable!” She crooned, giving Plagg affections. Adrien however was staring, wide eyed.

            “Are you serious right now? After all this time, and I could have done this? Wow… thanks for telling me Plagg!” The blond complained, glancing at Tikki. The red kwami only smiled, patting his knee.

            “Plagg has always been like that to his kittens. Doesn’t matter who, he’s always been that way.” Tikki giggled, looking over at her other half. “I think he likes my chosen’s better than his. Maybe it has to do with the fact we are two halves of a whole.” She smiled, looking back at Adrien. “However, I think you’re a good choice for Marinette. I know you haven’t seen it, but when you were over there for the Ultimate Mecha Strike 3 tournament, she had taken down all of…”

            “Okay, so this is a nice night, but it’s raining and I don’t like the rain.” Plagg cut in. “I want to get inside somewhere. And Marinette’s house is closest. So let’s go there.” What he didn’t let on to though was the fact he had noticed Marinette’s horrified look when Tikki brought up the tournament. Adrien and Tikki looked over at Plagg and Mari, each with their own smiles.

            “That sounds like a good idea to me. Shall we transform back, M’Lady?” Adrien asked, gently taking Marinette’s hand. The bluenette blushed hard, not used to this from Adrien. Had it been Chat, she would have understood. ‘But then, they are the same person aren’t they?’ Mari smiled wider.

            “Of course, chaton. Meet me at my house in say…. ten minutes?” When Adrien nodded, she nodded back. “Good then. See you there, mon minou.”

 

            “Nino.... please tell me you’re seeing this….” Alya grabbed Nino’s arm, watching as her best friend scratched under a certain model’s chin with one finger. Nino’s jaw dropped as his bro’s eyes closed and he smiled, as though enjoying the bluenette’s touch.

            “Yeah, I’m seeing it Alya. I’m not sure I believe it, but I’m seeing it.” Nino replied. Three pairs of eyes widened as Adrien, a devilish grin in his eye, looped an arm around Marinette’s waist and pulled her close, kissing her on the lips. Before Nino or Alya could react, a shrill voice called out.

            “ARE YOU SERIOUS?! HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?!” Chloe came running down the steps, and dashed towards Adrien and Mari, furious. Alya and Nino could only watch as the blonde stomped straight up to the snogging couple. In a rather violent manner, Chloe forced the two apart. “And just what do you think you’re doing, Dupain-Cheng?! Who do you think you are, kissing Adrien Agreste?!” The girl latched onto Adrien’s arm, pulling in next to her. “He’s mine. Not yours, Dupain-Cheng. Don’t you forget it.” Venom dripped from Chloe’s voice, her contempt for Marinette beyond clear. The girl’s eyes burned, as if daring the bluenette to speak. Adrien drew breath to speak, but Marinette beat him to the punch.

            “First off, Chloe Bourgeois, he isn’t yours. Therefore, you cannot claim him as yours.” Her tone was clipped, but the wrath of Marinette Dupain-Cheng dripped from her next words. “Secondly…. don’t you EVER JUMP BETWEEN ME AND MY BOYRFRIEND EVER AGAIN!” Anger blazed out of Mari’s eyes as she stared the blonde down. For the first time in her life, Chloe was afraid of Marinette. The girl let go of Adrien and slowly backed away, eyes wide at the fuming girl in front of her. Then she turned and ran, towards the school. She didn’t look back.

            “And that…. That was beautiful!!!” Alya cried as she and Nino quickly made their way towards the new couple. Mari’s face quickly cleared of all anger, turning into a brilliant smile as Alya hugged her. “Girl, it’s about time that happened. And as for this,” She gestured between Mari and Adrien. “When did this happen?! And why didn’t you tell me?!” Mari blushed and giggled sheepishly.

            “Well, you see… I, uh..” Mari started, but Adrien interjected.

            “We were going to tell you, but it happened a little late. As in, late last night. And we didn’t get a chance to tell you, but now you know! Right?” Adrien asked, a little bashful as he took Marinette’s hand. Alya however was grinning like mad.

            “This is perfect!! Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for you two to get together? Like, forever!” Nino stood next to Alya as she gushed, keeping mostly silent. But he too was smiling. Life was pretty good right now.

            Unbeknownst to all, Tikki and Plagg were snuggling up in Marinette’s purse. Tikki glanced over at Plagg, patting his paw. She beamed at him, while Plagg gave a small smile.

            “It’s good to be back with you Plagg. I’ve missed you so much.” The small red kwami nuzzled her partner, happy. Plagg gave a soft huff, but didn’t push her away. He was needing this, as he hadn’t had it in a very long time. Nino was right; life was good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for checking this story out! And I thank you all for your patience!


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